Kajuru Killings: Adara People Want Leaders Released Unconditionally

The Adara Development Association (ADA) has called on Kaduna State government to release unconditionally, its leaders following the killings in some communities of Kajuru local government area of the state.

ADA in a statement titled ‘Release Adara Leaders or Blindfold Lady Justice Again’, said that “today makes it almost 31 days that our leaders, elders and chiefs of the Adara nation were indiscriminately arrested in a blatant, injurious and a one-sided reckless abuse of state power never envisaged under a democratic government in Kaduna State.

The statement signed by Barr Waziri Luka, national assistant secretary of the group, said, “The blindfold on Lady Justice depicting impartiality and objectivity in the application of justice has been removed – on the Adara people.

“The unfortunate crisis that erupted in Kajuru Local Government provided an opportunity for statesmanlike conduct to flourish from the consciousness of those with the responsibility of dispensing not just justice but good governance. But what we got instead was an aberration. Our leaders were arrested, locked up in police cells and later transferred to the Kaduna Prison under bogus and ludicrous charges.

“And despite six attacks on different Adara villages happening after their arrests, despite hundreds killed and thousands displaced, none of the killers has been arrested. None. This is despite all the attacks happening for hours in daylight. However, Adara chiefs from different villages in Kajuru were invited and arrested. But none from those attacking our communities have even been questioned or detained. None.

“Our governor who was quick to reel out statistic himself to the media, has probably not seen that Karamai, Ungwan Barde, Dogon Noma, Kymara and Ungwan Gora villages have all been attacked and burnt down to the ground. When will he also speak for us? Are we not humans too?Are we not also part of those he swore to protect? Why this unfair and partial treatment to us as a people?”

“A government that is anchored on the principle of economic, social and environmental justice, those glories on the noble pursuit of strengthening the institutions of justice is missing in the Adara crisis. Justice has been rubbished in pursuit of a sponsored hegemonic enthronement.The result: the one-sided perception of justice simply got pronounced in its odoriferous fetidness,” they said.

ADA gave the names of their leaders currently in detention as Engr, Bawa Magaji, Wazirin Adara, acting Agom Adara, arrested on February 16, Retired Commissioner of Police, Mr Sani Magaji, the Baradan Adara, arrested on February 19, Awemi Dio Maisamari, National President of the Adara Development Association, arrested on February 16.

It added that others also arrested between February 12 –and 15 include, Mr Joseph Abdullahi, National Treasurer, ADA,Mr Tanko Maisamari, village head of Maro, Mr Hosea Danladi, Village head Ungwan Gamo, Mr Josepj Ayuba, Village Head of Kutura, Mr Tanko Wada, Village head of Ayuba, Mr Ulu Maitumbi, elder Ungwan Barde village.

“Apart from coping with our leaders in prison, we are also digging mass graves to bury our dead, running up and down to provide for the thousands of our displaced ones and tending to those in hospitals. In all these, the state government is not bothered but bent on appeasing the killers while they kill us.

“We insist that our leaders are innocent and should be released. We reiterate the fact that the Kaduna state government is engaged in a punitive exercise to simply humiliate, punish and ensure the destruction of the Adara nation. It should be noted that peace cannot thrive where there is injustice. It is even worse when those in authority openly display a corrosive bias in favour of those they consider as theirs.

“We also call for urgent steps to be taken to address the challenges facing the over 3,000 displaced people whose homes and everything they laboured for was destroyed. Many others who sustained injuries from gunshots and machete cuts are in the different hospitals across the state,” it said.